# 51 JOKE

Let me get this straight - the Red Wings had to claw their way into the Playoffs to preserve a 22-year postseason streak, they did just barely make it in, then proceeded to a better-than-expected run taking down the #2 seed, and were within 1 OT goal of taking out the #1 seed and making the WCF....and you wish that we had been sellers at the deadline? Why, because we didn't win the Cup?

Man, I love this fanbase, but at the same time, it would be nice if it could fully appreciate that it actually does mean something to be a perennial contender and do something in the Playoffs.

I like Filppula as a player, whereas I didn't really like Hudler's game, but I think as with any player, it's just a question of price. If it gets to $5 mil/per for significant length, forget it. Part of the reason I feel that way is that I really believe this organization can train, and possibly already has trained, players who could do a similar role, that won't need to be paid like that for several years (Nyquist, Andersson, etc.)

You're forgetting being a seller could of made us better. If we traded fil who would have taken his spot? Tatar? A guy who could score more. I think that's would of helped us now and in the future.

But with that said I'm a fil fan. I want him back but not for more than 4m maybe 4.5m.

Filpula is on glue of he really thinks he deserves 5 mill. Hossa gets 5.25 mill and Fil is not even in the same universe as Hoss. Any team that is willing to pay him 5 mill must be sniffing the same glue.. I'm hope Holland has kicked his glue habit

Filpula is on glue of he really thinks he deserves 5 mill. Hossa gets 5.25 mill and Fil is not even in the same universe as Hoss. Any team that is willing to pay him 5 mill must be sniffing the same glue.. I'm hope Holland has kicked his glue habit

He must really be on drugs if he thinks he's worth $5m, let alone even more than that. So sorry, Fil, but a 34-point pace coupled with your usual lack of physicality and much generally unexceptional play does not merit you getting the salary of a first-line player.

The guy has averaged 35.6 points per season (this takes his 17 points in 41 games this season and doubles it, to simulate a real season) over the length of his contract, and he doesn't bring anything remarkable to the table. And when he isn't scoring, he's invisible.

Hudler is, at least, a fairly good scorer, even if he's terrible at everything else. That said, I agree that he doesn't merit $4m. I suspect that Hudler's agent asked Holland to match it, and that Holland refused out of hand.

I didn't think Hulder was worth it either but if someone (not Holland) is willing to over pay then he should go. I was not a fan of either Hudler or Filpula, and that is not to say they are bad players, but they can't ever give us what we need. Hudler is probably Calgary's best player right now, good for him. I'd rather let Filpula go to Calgary, or where ever, and get his 5 mill and I would rather we spend that money on a player like Clarkson or Bickell if we can. I just hate seeing him also leave for nothing instead of Holland trading him when he could for something... especially hearing the Bruins were interested.

Filpula is on glue of he really thinks he deserves 5 mill. Hossa gets 5.25 mill and Fil is not even in the same universe as Hoss. Any team that is willing to pay him 5 mill must be sniffing the same glue.. I'm hope Holland has kicked his glue habit

If you added as many $1m/yr years Hossa has on the end of Filppula's contract, Flip's hit would probably be < $3m/yr.

And I seriously don't know why people keeping bringing up the $5m number that Flip was asking for before the season was halfway over and before he had a s***ty year. The fact is he was coming off an almost 70 point season and when he scores 60-70 points, he'd be easily worth $5 million a year. But he had a s***ty contract year and I'm sure what he's asking of Holland had gone down.

Filpula is on glue of he really thinks he deserves 5 mill. Hossa gets 5.25 mill and Fil is not even in the same universe as Hoss. Any team that is willing to pay him 5 mill must be sniffing the same glue.. I'm hope Holland has kicked his glue habit

That's Hossa's cap hit. He's actually being paid $7.9M this year, its only the fact that his contract runs till he's a hundred and two that brings the hit down.

Flips $5M asking price almost certainly comes from the Jordan Staal contract. Similar players - 2nd/3rd line two-way centres - putting up similar points. OK Staal is younger and bigger, but when he signed that 10 year $60M contract I said that Flip's agent would be rubbing his hands with glee.

I like Flip, but Holland mantra is "pay to keep your core players, don't over-pay for your role players", and sorry Valterri, but UFA's like you are as over-paid as ELCs and RFA's are underpaid.

"If I can be totally honest, it's not a lot of guys you get impressed by. Actually, it's no one else but him. From the bench, to see what move he makes -- you're like, 'I wish I could do that.' Sometimes you sit on the bench and just think, 'wow,' and you look over to the other bench and they sit there and shake their heads, too. He has great, great skills. I'm probably not going to play with another player who has the kind of skills he has." Mikael Samuelsson on Pavel Datsyuk

If you added as many $1m/yr years Hossa has on the end of Filppula's contract, Flip's hit would probably be < $3m/yr.

And I seriously don't know why people keeping bringing up the $5m number that Flip was asking for before the season was halfway over and before he had a s***ty year. The fact is he was coming off an almost 70 point season and when he scores 60-70 points, he'd be easily worth $5 million a year. But he had a s***ty contract year and I'm sure what he's asking of Holland had gone down.

Filppula would barely be worth $5m even if he regularly scored 60 points. He is not physical, is not particularly great at defense, cannot produce without at least one excellent linemate, and disappears for long stretches.

Well, the reality is this. Free agents usually get paid above their worth. Fairly good players are underpaid when on their rookie contracts, and get overpaid as free agents. its just how it is.

Yep, but the only teams that'll give him $5m will be those that need to stay above the salary floor. And even they wouldn't give him more than $5m.